By Nadine Wimmer |
Posted - Feb 28th, 2014 @ 9:08am

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LOGAN — Several thousand people attended a movie premiere in theaters from Logan to South Jordan, and they were not only guests but also the stars.

Volunteers in KSL’s Read Today AmeriCorps program got to see the mid-year results of their tutoring in a big-screen production.

Here’s the trailer: kids are doubling their reading progress.

“Feeling like you’re contributing to someone’s development is just great,” said tutor Mark Hammond.

Since the school year began, volunteers have been reading one-on-one with more than 4,600 students. Recent Dibels test scores show students making a year’s worth of progress in the 4 1/2 months of tutoring.

None of those students started the year on track, but at the rate they’re going, 85 percent will finish the year reading at grade level.

That deserves a four-star review.

“It’s so great to see their change over the year," said tutor Chris Ellis. “It’s helping them know the importance and then improve their reading.”

Part of the celebration included unveiling a new community campaign, “We’re All In” for education in Utah.

A series of spots will encourage Utahns to get “All In” by volunteering in their neighborhood schools.

Participate

If you’d like to be “All In”For Education in Utah, go to readtoday.com

“Kids get it when we’re there to help them get it,” said Alan Hall, chair of Prosperity 2020. He leads an effort by Utah businesses to improve and prioritize education. One of its goals is to have 90 percent of Utah children reading at grade level.

As evidence of “All In,” Larry H. Miller Megaplex Theatres hosted the massive celebration. Dozens of its employees also volunteer as tutors at various schools during the work day.

Such a strong collaboration behind reading impressed several volunteers. One left the theater exclaiming, “I really feel like I’m part of something.”